Whatever Happened to the Front Porch?

INTRODUCTION

OPENING STORY: THE INTERN. HE’S AN ELDERLY MAN INTERNING AT A TECH STARTUP, AND IT’S OBVIOUS HE’S OUT OF PLACE. HE DRESSES WRONG, DOESN’T GET THE LINGO AND IS OVERALL SLOW TO CATCH ON. BUT WHEN THE CEO RUNS INTO SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS IT IS HIS SAGE WISDOM THAT SAVES BOTH THE DAY AND THE COMPANY. THE MESSAGE OF THE MOVIE IS NOT ONLY DO OLDER PEOPLE MATTER, THEY’RE ESSENTIAL.

CREATING THE NEED:

THIS IS A WORD WE NEED TO HEAR IN THE BAY. WE LIVE IN A CULTURE OF PRODUCTION WHERE A PERSON’S VALUE IS CENTERED ON WHETHER THEY CAN PRODUCE. HERE IN THE BAY WHERE PRODUCTION, INGENUITY AND CREATIVITY ARE THE ORDER OF THE DAY, OLDER PEOPLE ARE BEING SEEN AS NOT VALUABLE.

“Young people are just smarter,” says Mark Zuckererg. “People over 45 basically die in terms of new ideas,” said VC Vinod Khosla. “The guys with kids and mortgages are at a real disadvantage”- Paul Graham, startup leader. the median age of tech titans such as FB and Google is just under 30. AGAIN, A CULTURE THAT DEVALUES THE OLDER. AS ONE PERSON REMARKED, THE AGEIST DISSES HIS FUTURE. AGEISM IS THE CLASSIC CASE OF WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. THE PROBLEM IS WE LIVE IN AN AREA THAT VALUES LUKE SKYWALKER AND DISSES YODA. WE NEED YODA’S

THIS FLIES IN THE FACE OF THE SCRIPTURES. PROVERBS TELLS US TO HONOR THOSE WITH GRAY HAIR. THE LAW CALLED FOR THE DEATH OF THOSE WHO DISHONORED THE OLDER. THE PASTORAL EPISTLES PLACE SIGNIFICANT VALUE ON THE OLDER, CALLING FOR THE OLDER MEN AND WOMEN TO TRAIN THE YOUNGER MEN AND WOMEN. ONE OF THE PROFOUND LESSONS OF SCRIPTURE IS THE CHURCH IS TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THERE IS A MULTIGENERATIONAL COMINGLING OF LIVES. WE HAVE A PROFOUND OPPORTUNITY IN THE BAY TO PRESENT THE ONLY REAL PLACE WHERE THE AGED AND THE MILLENNIAL HAVE TRUE AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY IN THE SAME PLACE.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: JOSHUA IS 105 YEARS OLD AS HE GETS UP IN THE FINAL TWO CHAPTERS TO CAST VISION AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS OF LEADERS AND PEOPLE. HERE IT’S THE LEADERS, NEXT CHAPTER IT’S THE PEOPLE. ISRAEL IS BLESSED TO HAVE A PATRIARCH SUCH AS JOSHUA.

THE CASE FOR PATRIARCH’S:

THE CHURCH DOES NOT NEED OLD PEOPLE. WE NEED PATRIARCH’S. PATRIARCH’S ARE A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH TO THE SPIRITUAL HEALTH AND VIBRANCY OF GOD’S PEOPLE. WE ALL NEED THEM IN OUR LIVES NOW…ANALOGY OF LIFE AS A ROAD THAT ONLY GOES FORWARD, AND YOU NEED PEOPLE FURTHER ON IN LIFE. AND WE ALL NEED A PICTURE OF WHAT ONE LOOKS LIKE, FOR IF THE LORD SHOULD TARRY WE WANT TO NOT JUST GROW OLD, BUT TO BECOME A PATRIARCH. SO LET’S LOOK AT IT.

I WANT TO CAST A REAL VISION FOR WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS THE WINTER YEARS OF OUR LIVES SHOULD LOOK LIKE. IN ORDER TO GET AT THIS, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR LIFE THROUGH FIVE CRITICAL SEASONS. THE FIVE STAGES, FROM DENNIS RAINEY…EMPHASIS ON PATRIARCH.

EMBRACE THE MANTLE OF PATRIARCH- ,

DENNIS RAINEY’S 5 STEPS OF A PERSON’S LIFE: BOYHOOD, ADOLESCENCE, MANHOOD, MENTOR AND PATRIARCH. PATRIARCH DEFINED: A PATRIARCH LEVERAGES THE ODOMETER OF THEIR LIVES TO INSPIRE OTHERS IN CHRIST FOR A TIME THEY WILL PERSONALLY NOT SEE.

POINT: IN ORDER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, WE MUST FIRST EMBRACE THE SEASON WE ARE IN, AND PARTICULARLY THE PATRIARCH SEASON. POINT OUT HOW JOSHUA DOES THIS IN VERSES 2 AND 14. HE KNOWS DEATH IS IMMINENT, AND HE’S NOT FIGHTING IT, BUT IS EMBRACING IT, SO HE SAYS HOW CAN I USE THE LAST FEW MOMENTS OF MY LIFE TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO GREATER FAITH IN GOD AND COMMITMENT TO HIS WORD?

TUESDAY’S WITH MORRIE ILLUSTRATION: HE HAS EMBRACED HIS DEATH BUT DOESN’T THROW A PITY PARTY, BUT INVESTS INTO MITCH TALKING ABOUT THE MEANING OF LIFE.

APPLICATIONS: 1. MY GRANDFATHER ALWAYS CRYING WHEN WE LEFT. DON’T REMEMBER HIM COMPLAINING. THE IMAGE I HAVE ISN’T ONE OF SPOILING, NOR ONE OF HIM PARKED IN FRONT OF THE TV. TOOK ME TO BARBERSHOPS, PLAYED CHECKERS WITH ME, SAT OUT ON THE PORCH. MY DAD WITH MY SONS, AND THE BROTHERHOOD BREAKFAST. IMAGES OF BOTH OF THESE. MY LIFE HAS BEEN VASTLY ENRICHED BY THE PATRIARCHS. BISHOP ULMER IMAGE.

POINT: IF YOU’RE STILL HERE IT’S BECAUSE GOD HAS MORE WORK FOR YOU TO DO, AND THAT WORK ISN’T JUST SHUFFLEBOARDING OR GOLFING OR COMPLAINING OR CRITICIZING YOUR WAY INTO THE KINGDOM. EMBRACE IT. WE DON’T NEED OLD PEOPLE, WE NEED PATRIARCHS!

PATRIACH’S INITIATE-

EXPLANATION: KEY WORD IS SUMMONED. PAINT THE PICTURE OF AN OLD MAN, 105 YEARS OF AGE, CALLING THE MEETING, HELPING TO STAND IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE, AND JUST CASTING PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM HIS PROVERBIAL FRONT PORCH. HE’S NOT REACTING, HE’S INITIATING.

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES: SEE THIS THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURES. JACOB CALLS A MEETING WITH HIS SONS IN ; MOSES WITH THE NATION IN DEUTERONOMY- WHOLE BOOK THE LAST SAYINGS OF A PATRIARCH. DAVID WITH SOLOMON IN 1 KINGS. SAMUEL WITH THE NATION IN I SAMUEL. PATRIARCH’S INITIATE WITH THE GOAL OF INSPIRING PEOPLE TO GREATER FAITH IN GOD FOR A TIME THEY WILL NEVER SEE.

EVON HEDLY STORY: FIRST CAME TO LAC WHEN WE WERE ENGAGED. HE JUST INVITED ME TO BREAKFAST. HE HAD BEEN MARRIED 61 YEARS AT THE TIME, AND JUST POURED INTO ME ABOUT MARRIAGE. SWEET MAN. BUT MY MARRIAGE IS ON A TRAJECTORY OF HEALTH BECAUSE A SWEET MAN EMBRACED HIS SEASON OF BEING A PATRIARCH AND INVESTED DEEPLY IN KORIE AND I.

APPLICATION: WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? WHEN YOU WALK IN HERE BE PRAYERFUL FOR WHO YOU COULD INITIATE WITH. DON’T DO A DTR. JUST INVITE TO A MEAL. INITIATE. GRANDPARENTS WHO INITIATE WITHOUT TRYING TO CONTROL, IN ORDER TO BE A BLESSING. MY FOLKS, MY DAD CALLING ME THE OTHER DAY, INITIATING WHEN HE CAN COME OUT JUST TO BLESS. PICTURE OF MYLES AND THE BIBLE.

PATRIARCH’S ENCOURAGE- ,

EXPLANATION: PATRIARCH’S ENCOURAGE. PATRIARCH’S AREN’T ULTIMATELY BABYSITTERS, OR HOLIDAY GUESTS. PATRIARCH’S AND MATRIARCH’S HAVE ONE SINGULAR AIM: AS I’M MARCHING TOWARDS THE GRAVE HOW CAN I LEVERAGE THE ODOMETER OF MY LIFE TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO GREATER FAITH TO CHRIST. WE SEE THIS HERE. THE WORD LOVE MEANS TO CLING. IT’S A TERM THAT DESCRIBES THE CLOSENESS OF A COUPLE IN RELATIONAL INTIMACY. JOSHUA HAS ONE AIM- TO ENCOURAGE DEEP INTIMACY BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND GOD. THIS IS WHAT PATRIARCH’S DO. HOW DO THEY DO THIS? WELL LOOK AT HOW JOSHUA DOES IT? HE LOOKS BACK AT THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD IN HIS OWN LIFE, AND THE PEOPLE’S LIVES.

ILLUSTRATION: PATRIARCH’S ARE STORY TELLERS. MY GRANDFATHER AND HIS FRONT PORCH. DESCRIBE IT, AND THE STORIES HE TOLD FROM THE NEGRO LEAGUES, MIGRATING UP FROM THE JIM CROW SOUTH, CHURCH, HOW HE FELT ABOUT DAD. THE LEGACY OF FAITH IN OUR OWN FAMILY. I LEFT MORE INSPIRED AS A MAN AND A FOLLOWER OF JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS STORIES.

ILLUSTRATION: WELL I’VE MADE A TON OF MISTAKES AND NOT QUALIFIED. TELL ABOUT BISHOP ULMER WHO HAS TWO FAILED MARRIAGES. AND YEARS INTO HIS THIRD. HE IS SO HELPFUL BECAUSE HE COMES AT IT FROM HIS FAILURE. THIS IS HOW HE LEVERAGES HIS LIFE’S ODOMETER.

REALIGNMENT NOT RETIREMENT: GOD DIDN’T LET YOU LIVE TODAY FOR YOU TO ULTIMATELY ADOPT A RETIREMENT MINDSET. REALIGNMENT NOT RETIREMENT! ALL I’VE JUST SAID FLIES IN THE FACE OF THAT. PIPER QUOTE...

GOSPEL CONCLUSION:

SWITCHED PRICETAG STORY. WE NEED GODLY PATRIARCH’S TO POINT THIS OUT TO US, AND TO HELP US VALUE THE RIGHT THINGS.

JESUS THE ULTIMATE PATRIARCH. SAYINGS FROM